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Pathology of bladder cancer related to occupational history, smoking habits and tryptophan metabolite excretion
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THE ROYAL COLLEGE O F PATHOLOGISTS O F AUSTRALIA
PATHOLOGY OF BLADDER CANCER RELATED TO OCCUPATIONAL HISTORY, SMOKING HABITS AND TRYPTOPHAN METABOLITE EXCRETION
J. R. Department of Pathology, Mater Misericordiae Public Hospitals, South Brisbane, Queensland This study was designed to investigate any possible relationship between the histology of bladder carcinoma and the three variables cited in the title. Histological sections were reviewed without knowledge of previous diagnosis or any relevant clinical data. Tumours were graded and classified according to their constitutional cell type only (transitional, squamous, mixed). Tissue sections were available from 49 patients with bladder tumour who had had assays or urinary tryptophan metabolites, 10 of which were abnormal. Similarly, 124 patients (98 male, 26 female) who had had bladder cancer were questioned closely concerning smoking and occupational history. This material formed the basis for this study. Results showed no statistical difference in distribution of histologic types between patients withnormal, as against abnormal tryptophan metabolite patterns. In the 6 males with possible industrial exposure, squarnous elements were prominent in 3, compared to a frequency of only 8 in the 92 males without exposure. Whilst there was no statistical difference in histology between smoking and non-smoking groups, tumours with squamous elements were more prominent in the former group. Of the 14 carcinomas with squamous areas, 12 patients (8604) were smokers as against a frequency of smokers of 667; (73 patients) in the remaining 110 tumours. The documentation of histological differences in bladder tumours related to occupational exposure and smoking history is important in any aetiological understanding of bladder neoplasma. More studies are needed in this area with emphasis placed on careful patient interview and relevant data collection and analysis. BELL,
THE ROYAL COLLEGE O F PATHOLOGISTS O F AUSTRALIA
PATHOLOGY OF BLADDER CANCER RELATED TO OCCUPATIONAL HISTORY, SMOKING HABITS AND TRYPTOPHAN METABOLITE EXCRETION
J. R. Department of Pathology, Mater Misericordiae Public Hospitals, South Brisbane, Queensland This study was designed to investigate any possible relationship between the histology of bladder carcinoma and the three variables cited in the title. Histological sections were reviewed without knowledge of previous diagnosis or any relevant clinical data. Tumours were graded and classified according to their constitutional cell type only (transitional, squamous, mixed). Tissue sections were available from 49 patients with bladder tumour who had had assays or urinary tryptophan metabolites, 10 of which were abnormal. Similarly, 124 patients (98 male, 26 female) who had had bladder cancer were questioned closely concerning smoking and occupational history. This material formed the basis for this study. Results showed no statistical difference in distribution of histologic types between patients withnormal, as against abnormal tryptophan metabolite patterns. In the 6 males with possible industrial exposure, squarnous elements were prominent in 3, compared to a frequency of only 8 in the 92 males without exposure. Whilst there was no statistical difference in histology between smoking and non-smoking groups, tumours with squamous elements were more prominent in the former group. Of the 14 carcinomas with squamous areas, 12 patients (8604) were smokers as against a frequency of smokers of 667; (73 patients) in the remaining 110 tumours. The documentation of histological differences in bladder tumours related to occupational exposure and smoking history is important in any aetiological understanding of bladder neoplasma. More studies are needed in this area with emphasis placed on careful patient interview and relevant data collection and analysis. BELL,